(Part 3) Best household sensors & alarms according to redditors

After experiencing a leaky dishwasher and sink drain pipe, I installed a wirelessly controlled main water line valve and wireless water sensors.

The valve automatically closes if water is detected by any of the sensors. The water sensors have been installed in the laundry room, all the bathrooms, the kitchen, and in the utility room near the water heater. I rigged each water sensor with an extension cable to cover a larger area. It won’t prevent a leak, but should reduce the water damage. I also get text notifications if there’s a leak.

Honeywell RWD80/A1 Water Defense Water Sensing Alarm Extension Cable
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FTFQ4W/

https://domeha.com/z-wave-water-main-shut-off-valve

Nap Zapper Anti-Sleep Alarm
https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Nap-Zapper-Anti-Sleep-Alarm/dp/B000BK4KW8

Congrats OP. I have that set and while the dryer had been trouble free for the past 15 years the washer has broken a few times.

Parts are cheap and YouTube videos plentiful to repair so it's easy to keep it up and running if you have access to some basic tools.

If funds and space allow I'd recommend a tray and a water alarm...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-30-in-x-32-in-Washing-Machine-Pan-in-White-52525/206188631?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD29A%7CMulti%7CWhirlpool%7CPLA%7C71700000036365208%7C58700004382753196%7C92700036834799793&gclid=CjwKCAiAodTfBRBEEiwAa1haunJ66hTzkqhL50hdyxytLI-BBo4AcUtuFBGMT2Ch5jpMpyN24n_ZaxoC8T8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds - Confirm measurements, don't recall what one I ordered.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074Z273R9/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_t1_eqv9BbFTBFBS3

That is assuming it's in a space where you care if it leaks. Also the tray isn't going to be able to hold all the water in case of a major leak but it'll buy you time to do something (had my water pump start leaking once and the tray saved me some headache).

YAY! :D let me think.... I'll add things to this post as I think of them.

Bed Caddy

Bed Risers

Hamper

This Book (my cousin got it for me when I started college way back when, and it really has a lot of good advice)

Storage

Dry Erase Calendar

Small Room Safe

Dorm Security

Command Strips

This amazing food/beverage station

A freaking PURPLE fridge

Brita

Make pooping in a shared bathroom less embarrassing

This photo display

An electric kettle

Also a planner! I like to make my own and use different colored pens to differentiate between my classes! If you want the template I use for my planner, I can send you a link to it! :D

Water level - https://www.adafruit.com/products/2656

Water level analog to digital - MCP3008 - https://www.adafruit.com/products/856

Water leak detection (use a CAT5 connector and splice the yellow and green lines to a voltage divider circuit to the MCP3008 for resistance measurement) - http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-RWD80-Defense-Sensing-Extension/dp/B004FTFQ4W/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1452221677&sr=8-5&keywords=honeywell+water+leak

Water flow sensor (cheaper than atlas) - https://www.adafruit.com/products/828

Water flow serial chip (makes life simple) - https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/circuits/ezo_flow.html

Serial port expander - https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/components/port_expander.html

Isolated power - https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/circuits/pwr-iso.html

Filter/co2 relays - http://www.amazon.com/JBtek-Channel-Relay-Arduino-Raspberry/dp/B00KTELP3I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452221234&sr=8-2&keywords=relay+raspberry+pi

digital Temperature sensor - https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/probes/env-tmp-d.html

Probe holder - http://www.aquariumplants.com/CarbonDoser-External-Probe-Holder-Mount-p/ph1.htm

ph Probe, serial chip, calibration, power isolation, and bnc connection - https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/kits/ph-kit.html

dosing pump - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HHRRDGS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s03

solenoid - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EP30YE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

solenoid to 0.17" water connection - http://www.mcmaster.com/#5058k43/=10l3gjn

Divorce attorney is extra.

I've been happy with these. Just stuck them under sinks and next to toilets and water heater. Absolutely worth the investment - saved me once so far.

Definitely clean the gutters and drains, and see how it goes. There are various guards to keep junk out of the gutters but sometimes they clog as well or cause roof leaks because the water backs up under the shingles. Usually one spring and one fall cleaning does the trick. Hire someone if you don't feel comfortable on ladders.

The sump pit may be sealed to prevent radon gas intrusion, which is good. (Did they do a radon test? There's a kit for that at Home Depot.) If/when you need to change the pump you can also upgrade to a better sump pit cover like this one for $100 that seals but can easily be opened. I'd recommend keeping an eye on it and putting some kind of flood alarm near it so you can quickly catch a problem if it fails. Sump pumps are notorious for failing at the worst time.

Once it's fixed, add a dishwasher pan below the dishwasher. Also add one of these

$30, Natural Gas Leak Detector Detection Alarm:


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PWC6V3Q/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_kvJ5CbDY2N317


Read instructions for yourself but natural gas is lighter than air (it rises), so placement of the detector is important.

Here is a simple wifi smart leak detector by Zircon:
Zircon Leak Alert WiFi- 2 Pack - Smart Electronic Water Detector Alarm with Email, Audio and Visual Alerts - Battery Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NXW4X8M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rX8FDbQJH57S5


Here is a wifi connected leak & freeze detector from honeywell:
Honeywell CHW3610W1001 Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector, 1 -Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I58G0OS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mY8FDb1YX3PX5

There are others, and there is leaksmart.com that is a whole smart leak system that can even turn off water in case of a leak

Also, if you are going to tune your system (and I believe the effort is worthwhile), a couple of cheap data loggers could help you 'watch' the system when you aren't present.

Something like: https://www.amazon.com/Measurement-Computing-USB-Temperature-Logger/dp/B001EJRJCS

Put one on the supply and one on the return. Download the data and geek out on the results.

It's time to start watching out for your stuff.

First, get a cheap fireproof safe. This one is pretty good quality and won't get opened easily. You may need something bigger. Try a second-hand store and ask for lockboxes and fire safes.

Next, make sure you can find your safe if someone steals the whole thing. Also, bicycle chain lock it to something solid.

Then keep your room safe. Buy a lock for the door when you're not there, and get a room alarm for when you ARE there and someone thinks they can sneak in on you.

Last, find a good hiding place for your stuff - even if you have to make one.

Find a place where you can hide your safe where people don't think to look. Does your house have wood floors & carpet? Time to pull up a corner and see if you can loosen (or saw through) a floorboard.

Don't be shy about be shy about modifying your room to get a hidden area!

Likely a water leak sensor / alarm.
Link to product [LINK]

Needs a bit of setup, but check this one out: https://www.amazon.com/Zircon-Leak-Alert-WiFi-Electronic/dp/B0748RK2XQ

You have a brown drip glaze casserole. Drip glaze was immensely popular in the 50's and early 60's, with a brief revival in the late 70's. It predates the 50's. but most of what you find in flea markets is 50's or later. If there are markings on the bottom - or if you are willing to do a bit of research on the specific size and shape to determine the manufacturer - you can determine whether lead was used in the glaze.

However, lead is not a magic substance that can leap out of a stable compound and attack you. Occasional use of a lead glazed vessel is like all the rest of life lead is out there. There are lead testing kits for glazes available, so use your good judgement according to how risk averse you are.

There are a few solution options in the ~$200 range that use cell data connections - https://rvpetsafety.com/pricing/

https://www.amazon.com/MarCELL-Cellular-Monitoring-System-Verizon/dp/B078RGBTMC?tag=wsadvisorpet-20#customerReviews

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If your car has a wi-fi connection, there are a BUNCH of even cheaper options.

I use an older version of this one but it has never really inspired a ton of confidence. I got it after we had a bad basement leak go undetected a couple of years ago, and it has never once notified me of anything. In that time there hasn't been anything legitimate to detect, but every time I go to the app it has me logged out, so I always wonder if it will notify me when the time comes. Something Z-wave set up through Home Assistant may turn out to be more reliable.

After three toilet leaks (each a different reason), I bought one of these to put into a removable ceiling panel below the plumbing. https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Detector-Wireless-Notification-Security/dp/B07QP153GT/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=govee+wifi+water+leak+detector&qid=1568350880&sprefix=govee+wi&sr=8-3

Have you seen this? No cutting involved.
Flume Smart Home Water Sensor - Monitors Water Usage and Lawn Sprinklers - Leak Detector - No Pipe Cutting, Easy Install, WiFi https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GPXKN8Z

I use this water sensor and it uses AA batteries that last a year plus. Not sure that helps you, but thought I'd comment.

https://www.amazon.com/Utilitech-Water-Detector-Indoor-Sensor/dp/B07DQXTSY5/

the nap zapper

you wear it over your ear, and when you fall asleep and your head tilts forward, it makes a loud buzzing sound.

gotta be better than the shoe, right?

Maybe this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073XRSYGL/ref=mp_s_a_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1510080606&sr=8-20&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Bayit&dpPl=1&dpID=51vGvGjW9TL&ref=plSrch

So I found this device on amazon and am going to get one and try and see how it works. Doesn't seem to require a subscription to function which was what we were looking for.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T4ZZVN/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FHLZWN

Oh I agree from the user's perspective Open-Source is preferable; but in the real world the choice is not mine to make -- it depends on what the (a) hardware manufacturers decide to sell and (b) what the MD/MBA in charge decides to buy (and freedom to modify/maintain in house ten years from now is usually not high on their priority list).

And then again, if the use scenario needs regulatory approval; e.g., as a medical device, you can't use an open-source version. At best, there's an open-source version as well as an FDA approved version like with Osirix.

Personally, I'm in /r/linux and haven't used windows outside of a VM (needed for very specific purposes) on any of my machines since ~win98, and strongly prefer open-source to closed source.

(And one of the few reasons to boot up a win VM is to interact with hardware. I have a USB temperature logger to log the temperature in my apartment (e.g., for proof for the landlord) and couldn't find any at the time that said they supported linux (and the one I bought only came with windows software). Sure I could try getting it to work in wine or natively, and probably would only take a few hours or days. But for the handful of times I've used it, its easier just to boot a VM where I could install the included software from a disk, versus figuring out how to set the thing or get it working under wine.

Try a lead testing kit.